All stories by David Buchanan on BroadwayStars

Thursday, November 30, 2017

'Meteor Shower': Amy Schumer 'delightfully' debuts in 'slick,' 'puzzling' new Steve Martin play by David Buchanan

Only a year-and-a-half after his Broadway bow as a playwright, Steve Martin ("Bright Star") has returned to the Great White Way with a new comedy "Meteor Shower,"which opened at the Booth Th…

SOURCE: Gold Derby at 12:30PM[SHARE]
Friday, November 10, 2017

'The Band's Visit': 'Miraculous,' 'ravishing' new musical an undeniable Tony Awards frontrunner by David Buchanan

Last year, the small and intimate musical "The Band's Visit," based on the 2007 independent film of the same name, opened Off-Broadway at the Atlantic Theater Company. The show, which earned…

SOURCE: Gold Derby at 06:15AM[SHARE]
Saturday, November 4, 2017

'Junk': 'Gutsy' new play from Pulitzer-winner Ayad Akhtar 'lacks satisfying punch' by David Buchanan

In 2013, playwright Ayad Akhtar won the Pulitzer Prize for "Disgraced," which went on to bow on Broadway in 2014 and earn a Best Play nomination at the 2015 Tony Awards. His follow-up play, …

SOURCE: Gold Derby at 12:00PM[SHARE]
Monday, October 30, 2017

'M. Butterfly': Despite a somewhat 'clunky and unsteady' production, groundbreaking play 'still resonates' by David Buchanan

In 1988, the original production of David Henry Hwang's groundbreaking play "M. Butterfly" earned the admiration of critics and audience, won three Tony Awards out of seven nominations, and …

SOURCE: Gold Derby at 09:30AM[SHARE]
Monday, September 25, 2017

'Sunday in the Park With George' 2017 Broadway cast recording: Jake Gyllenhaal enters Grammy contest against Bette Midler, Ben Platt by David Buchanan

Jake Gyllenhaal may have missed out on a chance to win a Tony Award for his performance in the recent revival of Stephen Sondheim's masterpiece musical "Sunday in the Park With George" (the …

SOURCE: Gold Derby at 02:00PM[SHARE]
Friday, June 30, 2017

'Marvin's Room' reviews: First Broadway production 'keenly performed,' but 'fatally mild' by David Buchanan

After an initial bow Off-Broadway in 1991 and a starry, Oscar-nominated movie adaptation in 1996 starring Meryl Streep and Diane Keaton, Scott McPherson's "Marvin's Room" has finally debuted…

SOURCE: Gold Derby at 08:00AM[SHARE]
Friday, June 23, 2017

'1984': First show of new Broadway season 'intense,' 'discombobulating' by David Buchanan

In a year in which dystopian narratives have dominated literature and television, it's only fitting that "1984," a stage adaptation of George Orwell's classic novel of the same name, officia…

SOURCE: Gold Derby at 07:30AM[SHARE]
Tuesday, June 13, 2017

Tony Awards cliffhanger: Will Laurie Metcalf ('A Doll's House, Part 2') or Laura Linney ('The Little Foxes') finally win? by David Buchanan

In the five weeks between Tony Awards nominations being announced on May 2 and Sunday's ceremony, the Best Actress in a Play contest has gone from predictable to nail-biter. With a overwhelm…

SOURCE: Gold Derby at 09:37PM[SHARE]

Tony Awards predictions panic: Top races tighten as June 11 ceremony looms [WATCH] by David Buchanan

On the eve of the 71st Tony Awards on June 11, Gold Derby's in-house trio of theater prognosticators " executive editor Paul Sheehan and contributing writers David Buchanan and Sam Eckmann" …

SOURCE: Gold Derby at 09:37PM[SHARE]
Tuesday, June 6, 2017

Tony Awards: Will Pulitzer Prize-winning 'Sweat' take Best Play without director nomination? by David Buchanan

In the weeks leading up to this year's Tony Awards nominations, new drama "Sweat" seemed to be the show to beat in the Best Play category, not only because it marks the long-awaited Broadway…

SOURCE: Gold Derby at 06:30PM[SHARE]
Monday, June 5, 2017

Not so fast, Kevin Kline! Jefferson Mays ('Oslo') could still win Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play by David Buchanan

After victories at both the Outer Critics Circle Awards and Sunday’s Drama Desk Awards, Kevin Kline appears to be the clear frontrunner for the Best Actor in a Play Tony Award for his …

SOURCE: Gold Derby at 02:00PM[SHARE]
Wednesday, May 31, 2017

Tony Awards spotlight: Johanna Day bravely embodies thorny character Tracey in "Sweat" by David Buchanan

Theater veteran Johanna Day has only made four appearances on Broadway over the course of her long stage career, but she clearly has impeccable taste. Each one of Day's outings on the Great …

SOURCE: Gold Derby at 11:30AM[SHARE]
Wednesday, May 3, 2017

Tony Awards predictions slugfest: Bette Midler is a lock but upsets loom in other top races by David Buchanan

Gold Derby's in-house trio of Tony Awards prognosticators " executive editor Paul Sheehan, contributing writer Sam Eckmann, and myself " met via webcam to discuss our reactions to the May 2 …

SOURCE: Gold Derby at 08:00AM[SHARE]
Sunday, April 30, 2017

Tony Awards: Will Mary-Louise Parker ('Heisenberg') and Cate Blanchett ('The Present') get nominated for shuttered shows? by David Buchanan

For the last three years running at the Tony Awards,  one of the five Best Actress in a Play nominees reaped her bid for a closed production. Last year, Laurie Metcalf earned her th…

SOURCE: Gold Derby at 11:50AM[SHARE]
Wednesday, April 26, 2017

'Six Degrees of Separation': 'Elegant' production features 'magnetic' performances from Allison Janney, John Benjamin Hickey, Corey Hawkin by David Buchanan

Tony-winner John Guare's ("Two Gentleman of Verona") acclaimed play "Six Degrees of Separation," a finalist for the 1991 Pulitzer Prize, has returned to Broadway, opening at the Ethel Barrym…

SOURCE: Gold Derby at 03:30PM[SHARE]
Friday, April 21, 2017

'Hello, Dolly!': Bette Midler delivers a 'perfect, once-in-a-lifetime' performance by David Buchanan

Seldom does a pairing of actress and role feel so intrinsically perfect as Bette Midler and Dolly Gallagher Levi, the titular character in Jerry Herman's classic musical comedy "Hello, Dolly…

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Tuesday, April 18, 2017

'Groundhog Day': Andy Karl becomes 'bona fide' star in new musical by David Buchanan

After a beleaguered preview period marred by technical malfunctions and an injury, the new musical "Groundhog Day" based on the 1993 film of the same name opened on Monday, April 17. Directe…

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Friday, April 7, 2017

'War Paint': Christine Ebersole and Patti LuPone 'in top form' as rival cosmetic queens by David Buchanan

In 2006, composer Scott Frankel, lyricist Michael Korie, and playwright Doug Wright teamed up to create the musical "Grey Gardens," one of the most praised original musicals in recent theatr…

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Thursday, April 6, 2017

'Present Laughter': Kevin Kline lauded for Broadway homecoming in Noël Coward comedy by David Buchanan

In the six decades since "Present Laughter" debuted on Broadway in 1947, Noël Coward's farce has been revived five times including the new production starring Oscar winner Kevin …

SOURCE: Gold Derby at 09:00AM[SHARE]
Tuesday, April 4, 2017

'Amélie': Broadway critics say 'non' to new musical based on 2001 Oscar-nominated French film by David Buchanan

In 2001, the whimsical French film "Amélie" captivated audiences and earned five Oscar nominations, including Best Foreign Language Film. On April 3, a musical adaptation of the movie starr…

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Monday, March 27, 2017

'Sweat': Lynn Nottage's timely drama is Tony Awards Best Play frontrunner by David Buchanan

After nearly a quarter-century as a playwright, Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage has finally made her Broadway debut by way of new drama "Sweat," which opened at Studio 54 on March 2…

SOURCE: Gold Derby at 08:30AM[SHARE]
Tuesday, February 7, 2017

Tony Awards shocker: 'Sunday in the Park with George' withdraws from contention by David Buchanan

Jake Gyllenhaal just can’t seem to catch a break with American awards shows. After missing out on an Oscar nomination two weeks ago for his performance in "Nocturnal Animals," Gylle…

SOURCE: Gold Derby at 07:30PM[SHARE]
Tuesday, January 10, 2017

Lynn Nottage's 'Sweat' coming to Broadway: Will Pulitzer Prize winner add Tony to her mantle? by David Buchanan

"Sweat," one of the most critically acclaimed plays of New York's fall season, will open on Broadway this spring. The show, a timely chronicle of the lives of union factory workers in Rea…

SOURCE: Gold Derby at 11:30AM[SHARE]
Thursday, December 29, 2016

Jake Gyllenhaal in 'Sunday in the Park with George' revival will be strong Tony Awards contender by David Buchanan

"Sunday in the Park with George," one of only nine musicals to win the prestigious Pulitzer Prize for Drama, will return to Broadway this spring with Oscar-nominee Jake Gyllenhaal ("Broke…

SOURCE: Gold Derby at 04:40AM[SHARE]
Thursday, November 3, 2016

Updated Tony Awards 2017 calendar: Six new productions join season by David Buchanan

Last month, six new Broadway productions announced that they will be joining the already-bountiful 2016-17 season. The calendar below details the opening dates for each of the 34 productions…

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'Oh, Hello on Broadway' reviews: Nick Kroll and John Mulaney lovingly skewer New York by David Buchanan

"Oh, Hello on Broadway," a new stage play starring Nick Kroll and John Mulaney as their sketch comedy characters Gil Faizon and George St. Geegland respectively, recently opened on Broadway …

SOURCE: Gold Derby at 11:10AM[SHARE]

'Les Liaisons Dangereuses' reviews: Liev Schreiber, Janet McTeer seduce critics by David Buchanan

A new mounting of "Les Liaisons Dangereuses" starring Janet McTeer and Liev Schreiber opened on Broadway on October 30. Adapted from a 1782 French epistolary novel, the show follows former l…

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Tuesday, October 18, 2016

'The Cherry Orchard' reviews: Diane Lane divides critics by David Buchanan

A new production of Anton Chekhov's final play "The Cherry Orchard," with a modernized text by Tony-winning playwright Stephen Karam ("The Humans"), opened on Broadway on Oct. 16. This…

SOURCE: Gold Derby at 07:18AM[SHARE]
Monday, October 17, 2016

'Holiday Inn': Will Irving Berlin musical register with Tony Awards voters? by David Buchanan

"Holiday Inn: The New Irving Berlin Musical," an adaptation of the beloved 1942 film in which Bing Crosby introduced “White Christmas,” opened on the rialto recently. This tun…

SOURCE: Gold Derby at 06:07AM[SHARE]
Friday, October 14, 2016

'Heisenberg' reviews: Mary-Louise Parker & Denis Arndt shine in two-hander by David Buchanan

"Heisenberg," a new play by Tony winner Simon Stephens ("The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime”), opened on Broadway on Oct. 13 to generally positive reviews following…

SOURCE: Gold Derby at 03:29PM[SHARE]
Monday, October 3, 2016

'The Encounter': Simon McBurney earns rave reviews for one-man Broadway show by David Buchanan

"The Encounter," the first play to open in the 2016-2017 Broadway season, also holds the distinction of being its most unique entry. Using advanced sound design, "The Encounter" chroniclesÂ…

SOURCE: Gold Derby at 07:35AM[SHARE]

All that Chat

2025-2026 BROADWAY SEASON
Jun 12, 2025: Call Me Izzy - Studio 54
Sep 16, 2025: Art - Music Box Theatre
Oct 08, 2025: Beetlejuice - Palace Theatre
Nov 13, 2025: Oedipus - Studio 54
Nov 16, 2025: Chess - Imperial Theatre
Mar 23, 2026: Giant - Music Box Theatre
Apr 06, 2026: Becky Shaw - Hayes Theater
Apr 16, 2026: Proof - Booth Theatre
Apr 26, 2026: Drama Desk Cut-Off